Tetherless tube inspection system

Abstract

Apparatus and a method to inspect tubing by means of a free flying, autonomous inspection head that is not attached by wires to external control and data acquisition equipment. The inspection head travels through the tube with an attached module that integrates all the necessary support for the electronic and mechanical control of a nondestructive sensor within the inspection head.

1 . A nondestructive inspection probe system for inspecting an interior of an extended length of tubing comprising:
 a nondestructive inspection sensor sized to moveably fit within the tubing, the inspection sensor having one of either a male or female disconnectable coupling; and   an electronics module sized to moveably fit within the tubing having another of either the male or female disconnectable coupling which is adapted to connect to the one of either the male or female disconnectable coupling and when so connected to electrically communicate with the nondestructive inspection sensor, the electronics module being configured to move within the tubing along with the nondestructive sensor, while receiving data from the sensor without any tethering extending outside the interior of the tubing.   
     
     
         2 . The nondestructive inspection probe system of  claim 1  wherein the electronics module includes a memory for storing data from the nondestructive inspection sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The nondestructive inspection probe system of  claim 2  wherein the data is communicated from the electronics module memory to a data collection center at the end of the inspection of the tubing. 
     
     
         4 . The nondestructive inspection probe system of  claim 1  wherein the electronics module includes a control for adjusting the speed of movement of the nondestructive inspection sensor within the tubing. 
     
     
         5 . The nondestructive inspection probe system of  claim 4  wherein the control for adjusting the speed controls a drag of the nondestructive inspection sensor on the interior of the tubing. 
     
     
         6 . The nondestructive inspection probe system of  claim 1  wherein the electronics module includes a data communication protocol for communicating the data from the nondestructive inspection sensor to a remote data collection center. 
     
     
         7 . The nondestructive inspection probe system of  claim 6  wherein the data communications protocol is a wireless data transmission method. 
     
     
         8 . The nondestructive inspection probe of  claim 6  wherein the data is communicated intermittently. 
     
     
         9 . The nondestructive inspection probe system of  claim 1  including a drive system for moving the nondestructive inspection sensor through the tubing. 
     
     
         10 . The nondestructive inspection probe system of  claim 9  wherein the tubing has a first and second end and wherein the drive system creates a pressure differential between the first and second end. 
     
     
         11 . The nondestructive inspection probe system of  claim 10  wherein the drive system injects compressed gas into the tubing. 
     
     
         12 . The nondestructive inspection probe system of  claim 9  wherein the drive system comprises wheels that are driven by an electric drive motor. 
     
     
         13 . The nondestructive inspection probe system of  claim 12  wherein the wheels and the electric drive motor are on the electronics module. 
     
     
         14 . The nondestructive inspection probe system of  claim 1  wherein the electronics module includes an electric source that powers the nondestructive inspection sensor. 
     
     
         15 . The nondestructive inspection probe system of  claim 14  wherein the electronics module provides an excitation signal to the nondestructive inspection sensor and controls an excitation signal frequency and timing of the excitation signal. 
     
     
         16 . The nondestructive inspection probe system of  claim 15  wherein the electronics module provides a reference signal equivalent to a response of the nondestructive inspection sensor in clean tubing. 
     
     
         17 . The nondestructive inspection probe system of  claim 15  wherein the electronics module measure the impedance of the nondestructive inspection sensor to the excitation signal. 
     
     
         18 . The nondestructive inspection probe system of  claim 1  wherein the electronics module correlates the data to the nondestructive inspection sensor's position relative to the interior of the tubing. 
     
     
         19 . The nondestructive inspection probe system of  claim 1  wherein the electronics module communicates with a remote data center a position of the nondestructive inspection sensor and provides a fault notification. 
     
     
         20 . The nondestructive inspection probe system of  claim 1  wherein the tubing has a unique identifier and the electronics module has a monitor that reads the unique identifier and stores the unique identifier with the data. 
     
     
         21 . The nondestructive inspection probe system of  claim 20  wherein the unique identifier is a radio frequency identification tag (RFID tag) and the electronics module has a monitor that reads the RFID tag. 
     
     
         22 . A method of inspecting tubing having a first and second end with an inspection probe connected to an electronics module, with both the inspection probe and the electronics module sized to moveably fit within the tubing without any tethering extending outside the tubing comprising the steps of:
 employing a first robot to introduce the inspection probe connected to the electronics module into the first end of the tubing;   blowing or sucking the inspection probe connected to the electronics module through the tubing from the first end to the second end of the tubing;   inspecting the tubing as the inspection probe is moved through the tubing; and   employing a second robot to remove the probe connected to the electronics module from the second end of the tubing.   
     
     
         23 . The method of inspecting tubing of  claim 22  wherein the tubing comprises a first tube and a second tube supported in parallel in a tube bundle, comprising the step of sequentially employing the first robot to introduce the inspection probe into the first tube and a second inspection probe into the second tube and simultaneously blowing or sucking the inspection probe through the first tube and the second inspection probe through the second tube so that the second robot can sequentially remove the inspection probe from the first tube and the second inspection probe from the second tube. 
     
     
         24 . The method of inspecting tubing of  claim 22  wherein the tubing comprises a first and a second tube supported in parallel in a tube bundle including the steps of:
 using the second robot to introduce the inspection probe connected to the electronics module into a second end of the second tube; 
 blowing or sucking the inspection probe connected to the electronics module through the second tube from the second end to a first end of the second tube; and 
 employing the first robot to remove the inspection probe connected to the electronics module from the first end of the second tube.